Blade: A Vampire Redeemed
by thesentence
Summary: New Paradise Comics crossover. He hunts vampires for a living. She is a vampire seeking redemption. Blade. Mara. They will join forces against Dracula for the fate of mankind.


Blade/A Vampire Redeemed

**Blade: When Eric Brooks was born, his mother was killed by a vampire bite from Deacon Frost, causing him to become a Dhampir, half-human, half-vampire. Growing up, Eric hated all vampires and trained himself to kill the undead and any supernatural threats to the Earth. He is the enemy of the undead. He is... Blade!**

**Mara: A vampire lord, Mara Johnson had destroyed many villages with her dark armies in Medieval England and beyond. However, she did not do this for power or laughs; she made herself a villain to bring peace. Finally giving in to guilt, she was ready to die, but a brave knight finally saw the good in her. Realizing her mistake, she now preys on those who harm the innocent. She is... A Vampire Redeemed!**

Blade holds his sword in front of him as a group of vampire assassins stand before him. The assassins wear black, padded suits with black ops masks. The female stands directly in front of Blade, crouching down as if she is ready to pounce. Blade bears his fangs. "Bring it on, you blood sucking bastards!" The female leaps, but is tackled into the abandoned house wall from out of nowhere. Blade sees a pale woman in her early twenties, wearing a red, sleeveless dress and no footwear with long and smooth black hair. The young woman seems to be drinking the blood of the vampire assassin before snapping her neck. The woman then vanishes in a red mist, causing Blade to take advantage of the confusion. Blade charges at one of the three remaining assassins, clashing swords with him before slicing him in half. The assassin turns to ash, while another one from behind does a roundhouse kick, which Blade catches. Blade snaps a tendon, then turns around and slices his head off. The third one raises his sword overhead and runs at Blade, but a hand impaled him through the chest from behind, ripping out his heart. Blade is a bit curious as he once again sees the young woman, holding the heart as the assassin turns to ash. After feasting on the heart, she crushes it. Her eyes are black with glowing red irises and after looking at Blade for a few seconds, she turns around.

"Who are you," asked Blade. The vampire woman stops for a moment to answer. "Mara." "Well, Mara. Who sent you? You're obviously a vampire. Are you at war with this faction?" Mara looks back at Blade. "You're welcome by the way." Mara fades out, leaving Blade alone. He puts his sword away before walking out of the building.

Blade is back at his hideout, stocking up on garlic bullets and ultraviolet grenades. Blade then grabs a syringe filled with his serum, then injects it into his neck. He rubs it down with alcohol to sterilize it afterwards for future use. Blade can't help but wonder about the vampire woman he met tonight, Mara. Who is she, and why attack her own kind? It was probably a power play; vampires always crave more power. After stocking up on supplies, Blade takes off.

* * *

Blade is now at a nightclub with blue lights in the ceiling. He knows that vampires own the club and is expecting to see one of them among the crowd of customers. As he squeezes through, he is a bit shocked to see Mara, sitting at one of the tables by herself. She is wearing her same dress from before, but this time she has on black stilettos. Her eyes are normal, but that's probably because she is among humans. Blade walks over to her table and slowly sits down in front of her. "It makes sense that you would be here." "Why, because it's a vampire nest?" Blade slowly scans her with his eyes, trying to get a read on her. "I take it that you know where the rest of them are." "Yes. They're dead." Blade has a sudden realization. "You killed them already." Mara nods to his statement. "You must own the nightclub now as well, don't you?" Mara smiles. "Very good. I heard that you were perceptive." "Why are you doing this? It can't be a territorial dispute. The vampires that ran this club were Dracula's followers. If anything happened to them, Dracula will know about it." Mara now looks serious. "As I seem to recall, you came here for that very purpose, Blade. It looks like I did you a favor."

"I never asked for your help, vampire. Your kind only help themselves." "So do humans, Blade, and most vampires were born human. Dracula was human at one point, but then became the king of the vampires. If anything, he carried the worst of human traits with him into his supposed immortality. You treat vampires like the root of all evil, but they are behaving exactly as humans do. When humans are given power, it tempts them, so if they become vampires, the stupid ones will let that power go to their heads, like Dracula and those who follow him. What are they if they're not human? They are the worst kind of humans." Blade takes these words to heart. Mara can tell that he is deep in thought now. Blade looks out into the crowd in the club and he can tell that they are using this time of fun to forget their own problems for a while. What do each of these people hide? What sin are they guilty of? Blade knows that Mara is right; humans are not perfect either, and they have committed more atrocities than the entire vampire nation. However, that doesn't mean they are not worth saving.

Blade and Mara now find themselves at an airport hangar in broad daylight. After speaking with the pilot for her private jet, the pilot boards the jet as Blade speaks with Mara outside. "Beats stowing away on a freighter, doesn't it," asked Mara. Blade looks at her with curiosity. "How are you able to walk in sunlight," asked Blade. "Because I'm the same breed of vampire as Dracula." "You mean you're a vampire lord?" "Yes. Dracula's castle is surrounded by his vampire legion. Mine is filled with all kinds of supernatural creatures, like vampires, werewolves, trolls, harpies, and more. If we storm Dracula's castle, we'll need an army and I just happen to have one." "Sounds like you thought of everything," said Blade.

As the jet takes off, Blade sits at a table with Mara in front of him. She is looking out the window on her right, observing the clouds, but Blade is still curious about this vampire lord. "What do you gain by killing Dracula?" Mara looks at Blade. "Nothing, Blade. Dracula misuses his power, so we're going to kill him. Simple as that." "So you're doing this out of the "goodness" of your heart? I'm so touched," said Blade with insulting sarcasm. "You know what?! Fuck you, Blade! All you've done is belittle me since we first met! I don't need your sarcasm!" Mara looks out the window again, angry. "Sorry," said Blade. The pilot walks back and speaks to his two passengers. "We'll reach Transylvania in a few hours. Can I get you two anything?" "We're fine, thanks," said Mara, still a bit angry. The pilot goes back to the cockpit. Blade watched him, but turns his eyes back to Mara.

"You know him," asked Blade. "I saved his life once. Now he owes me," responds Mara. "He's not the only one, is he? So you save people and then certain ones you save become what, your agents?" "I need intel, Blade. The best way to get that is from the people themselves." "So the pilot knows you're a vampire?" Mara nods. "He wanted to do this, Blade." Blade now folds his hands together. "So this army of yours. I'm assuming that we're landing somewhere close to Dracula's castle. I'll also assume that your army is at Dracula's castle now, fighting the vampire legion. How many are we talking about, here?" "I sent ten thousand of my creatures to Dracula's castle. Dracula has that many vampires protecting the castle, both up close and afar. All we need is a way in. My army will handle the outside forces. So, are you ready?"

* * *

The jet flies high over Transylvania. The darkness covers the land, but Blade and Mara can clearly see two armies fighting outside of an old castle. Blade and Mara stand by the open door of the moving jet as Blade fastens his parachute. "Looks like your creatures are keeping them busy." Mara takes one last look at the ground below before talking to Blade. "The pilot is going to stay airborne to avoid what's happening below. He is not a fighter, so if he landed the jet, Dracula's vampires will kill him and we would have no way of leaving." Mara lifts her right foot, taking off her stiletto, then lifts her left foot to remove her other shoe. "Afraid of damaging your nice shoes," asked Blade sarcastically. "No. It's just hard trying to fight in these. I am a vampire lord, so I'll heal quickly." Blade jumps out of the jet, stretching his arms and legs out in free fall. Mara joins him right after, but with no parachute on her back. She catches up with Blade, facing him. "Was committing suicide part of your plan, Mara?" "I have to know my location before teleporting there. Once we get closer to the ground, I can stop my fall."

Later, Blade lands by the castle via parachute. Mara teleports in and looks left, seeing a small number of vampires headed their way. "Heads up," shouts Mara. Blade tears off his parachute and takes out his shuriken-boomerang. He throws it, cutting through the necks of the vampires. More show up, causing Blade to take out his katana. Blade and Mara block their strikes before Blade slices one of them in half and Mara punches through their skulls. Blade looks back at Mara. "No weapons, huh?" "Don't need them. My body is a weapon." Blade and Mara look around a few seconds more, then face each other. "I think we're clear, now. We should get inside," said Mara. Before they can move, a massive mist moves their way. Blade and Mara slowly get back into fighting stances, sensing danger.

"So, you seek an audience with me, Blade? I thought you would have learned by now." Blade knows who the voice belongs to. "Dracula." "And who is this delectable lady with you, Eric? A new friend of yours?" Mara studies the mist, trying to find a point of origin of the voice. "Don't bother trying to find me. I'm everywhere in my mist form." Mara speaks up, determined. "Dracula, you have abused your power. You call yourself a king, but a king should serve the people, not the other way around." "I can smell you, Mara Johnson." Both Mara and Blade are surprised. "Yes, I figured out who you are. Blade, do you know who you are working with here?" "We are here for you, Dracula," said Mara. "You really think you're better than humanity, that you left it behind, but the truth is you didn't. You may be a vampire, but you're more human than ever." Dracula suddenly materializes, showing a tall, pale man with glowing red eyes, a long, white ponytail and red armor. He has very long fingernails, sharpened into claws. Dracula's fury seems to be peaking from Mara's words.

"How dare you compare me to a weak human!"

"You're the weak one, Dracula," shouts Mara. "How many innocent lives have suffered by your hand to increase your own power? You became a vampire because you are afraid to die! You have fed on innocent blood and killed many more out of some selfish pride! You may be a vampire, you may be a king, but you'll never be a man!" With amazing speed, Dracula slams Mara into the outer wall of his castle, strangling her with one hand. Dracula speaks with venomous anger. "How dare you stand in judgement over me! And how many have you fed on, Mara?! No one becomes a vampire lord without feeding on human blood at some point!" Mara teleports and punches Dracula from behind, knocking him through the castle. Mara rams him through the floor of the castle, seemingly flying with Dracula's body across the floor. Dracula grabs her head with both hands, slamming her into the ground before standing up and stomping on her. "I am the king of ALL vampires, Mara! Bow to me!" Blade tackles Dracula, causing him to skid back.

"Daywalker. I was wondering when you would show up." Blade spins his katana before holding it in front of him. "You ready to die again," asked Blade. Dracula makes a powerful leap, only to be tackled again by Mara. Blade then leaps in, drop kicking Dracula. Dracula falls on his back, then changes to mist briefly to rise to his feet. Mara and Blade begin to attack him from both sides, with Blade quickly slashing his sword on Dracula's plated wrist, but Dracula forces the blade away. Mara does a well placed Muay Thai kick on Dracula, but then he slashes her with his claws. Mara holds her cheeks briefly, only for the wounds to heal in seconds. Blade does a series of sword strikes at Dracula as the vampire king dodges, then changes to mist before grabbing Blade from behind. "Your blood will make me stronger than ever! No longer will I be weakened by the sun!" "Get ready for disappointment," said Mara, jump kicking Dracula away from Blade, then teleporting behind Dracula and grabbing him in a nelson hold.

"Now, Blade!" Blade jams his sword through Dracula's chest, but he impaled Mara as well. Blade pulls his katana out, letting Dracula fall to his knees. Blade looks at Mara, but sees her chest wound close up in seconds. Blade turns his attention back to Dracula, still weakened by his chest wound. Blade decides to take the opportunity and cut his head clean off, causing his body to turn to ash. "You should know better than that, Blade," said Dracula. Blade just grunts in anger. "Of course you're not dead." "You weakened me from our battle just now, but I'll be back. I always come back."

* * *

Blade carries Mara in his arms as they finally leave Dracula's castle behind. Blade sees Mara's creatures, finally killing the last of the vampires. Blade had paused for just a few seconds before continuing his march. Mara now speaks in a tired voice. "Dracula's gone for now, thank god. I would've walked myself out, you know." "I figured out the limit of your power. All that teleporting you did wore you down, and when I ran you through, that tired out your healing as well, didn't it? Something else I figured out, about what Dracula said before." Blade stops walking, then looks at Mara. His eyes are emotionless, causing Mara to become curious to what this half-vampire has to say. "I did my homework on you. You were a vampire lord back in the Medieval period. Mara Johnson, owned a castle as red as blood. You sent your dark armies to attack villages throughout England and some parts of Europe. You slaughtered hundreds of innocent men, women and children. The people saw you as a monster." Mara bows her head in shame.

"But... I know why you did it." "Does it matter, Blade," asked Mara in a voice of pure sorrow. "You did what you thought was right. You wanted to unite humanity against a common threat, so you used yourself. You thought that by sacrificing yourself, you could bring peace." Mara sighs softly. "I thought it was the right thing to do at the time, but every night I was plagued by nightmares." "So you gave in to your guilt." "I wanted to die, Blade, but then I learned that my death would change nothing, so I came away from my self loathing. I decided to make things right." Blade looks up, seeing the jet high above. "So how do we get back up there?" Mara grabs Blade's chin, pulling his face to hers. "I have enough strength for one more jump." Blade squints a little in concern. "You sure that won't kill you?" "I have a blood bank on the jet. This isn't my first rodeo, Blade." Blade puts his concern aside for the moment, because he knows that they need to hurry up and leave before Dracula's resurrection. "Let's go, then." Mara teleports them both back to the jet.

The jet flies over New York City, the Statue of Liberty right under the passengers. Mara takes a sip of her wine glass, marveling at the view of the Big Apple. Blade sits with his hands folded, sitting perfectly still. Mara puts her wine glass down as she gives a light smile. "Come on, Blade. You haven't said a word since the flight back." "We both know that Dracula will be back and now that he knows about you, he'll be more dangerous than ever." Mara drops her smile for a moment. "I'll worry about that later. For now, I want to rest, regain my strength. Also, I need to take a trip to Vegas." "Let me guess. You want to hit the casinos there, get richer than you already are." Mara looks at him, confused. "No. My boyfriend lives there." "Another vampire?" "No, he's human." Blade clears his throat. "You do realize how hard it is for a vampire to have a human lover, right?" Mara takes another sip of her wine, then folds her hands on the table as she slowly leans in toward Blade, smiling. "Last time I checked, normal humans have that problem, too." The jet continues on, leaving New York City behind.

**The End**


End file.
